Page 45 of Forget Me Knot

He puts his hand on mine, interlinking them on the fence. “We are, Dinah. Or I want us to be… something. If you do. I just need you to be patient with me, okay? This isn’t easy for me.”

I nod. “I can do that. Yes.”

He gives my fingers a light squeeze. “I thinkCathas missed you the past few days.”

I arch an eyebrow. “Cat?”

“Yeah. He seems… really grumpy without you around.” He pauses, taking a deep, exaggerated breath. “Clawed up his castle and has just been hissing… and growling at everyone.”

He’s keeping the cat. He didn’t return him to the shelter. For some reason, his confirmation has my inner cheerleader doing backflips even more than the feel of his finger taking gentle sweeps over mine.

“Chipper growls?”

“No. Not Chip…” His fingers loosen on mine and his mouth slackens. “Ca… ca… cat,”he stutters and shakes his head. “Catthinks yashhhho…”

Jack presses his face against the fence, and I know something’s not right.

“Owen!” I shout, and Jack blanches, bending over to put his hands on his knees and throwing up on the ground at his feet. “Owen, help!”

I rush around the dugout to make it to Jack, but Owen, who was already on the field, beats me there. “Hey, bro. Let’s just get you down to the ground, okay? That’s it, Jack. Sit down.” He helps him to the grass where Jack leans his back to the fence but keeps his face between his knees.

“I don’t know what happened,” I explain and try to ignore the crowd watching him now. Worried kids have circled us as the Banner and Lovett brothers attempt to divert their attention back to the field. “We were talking, and then he just started slurring his words and stuttering.”

I kneel down and press my hands to Jack’s cheeks. Though he doesn’t look up, he holds my wrist in his hand.

“He’ll be okay,” Owen says quietly, kneeling down to his haunches and putting his hand on Jack’s shoulder. “I just need to get him home.”

I nod and step back.

“Think I can get you up, bro?”

Jack slowly nods and releases my wrist to put pressure against his forehead. “Nate,” he says, voice scratchy.

“Yeah, I’ll get Nate to help.” Owen pats his shoulder and stands, giving me a sympathetic smile. “He just pushed too hard today, that’s all,” Owen whispers. “He needs rest and quiet, but he’ll be out for a few days.”

He waves for Nate and blows out a tired breath. “I hope you’ll stick around, Dinah. He, um… he volunteered to do this, and that isn’t a small thing, ya know? Don’t give up on him.”

I hear what he isn’t saying. That being a part of this camp is a big deal for Jack. That something is changing. I know this moment is significant.

I’m scared for him as I watch Nate and Owen all but carry him off the field and into Owen’s truck, pulled right up to the fence. The look on Emory’s worried face in the crowd and the reminder of our earlier conversation plays through my head. Those rose-colored glasses officially fall from my eyes. I look between her and the truck driving away, and I see the moment Emory realizes I’ve made my choice.

She mouths“go”from the bleachers, and I chase after my HEA.

15

SUCH GREAT HEIGHTS

THE POSTAL SERVICE

DINAH

“Jack?” I say quietly again, knocking softly against the apartment door. Owen asked me to give them a few hours to get Jack settled, but then had to leave for practice tonight. It gave me just the right amount of time to ensure the day went smoothly at Knotty & Nice and to close up shop for the next two days, my normal days off.

Unfortunately, in his rush to get to practice, Owen forgot to leave me a key, so Jack will have to drag himself out of bed to let me in. Which is why I’ve been steadily knocking on his door for the past ten minutes. I’m starting to get worried and forming a new plan for breaking and entering just as the sound of the deadbolt slipping in the door clicks and Jack appears, shirtless and rumpled.

He has a strange sort of neoprene mask on his face, resting just above his eyes. His hair is a disheveled mess, face pallid and covered with sleep marks, and all I can think about is the urge I have to wrap him up in a burrito blanket and whisper words of affirmation in his ears.

“Dinah.” Jack sighs, eyes closing when he finally seems to come to himself and realizes who’s been knocking at his door.

---